Acarbose is an inhibitor of the saccharase enzyme complex of the human small intestine and is used in medicine for the treatment of diabetes. Acarbose is chemically O-4,6-didesoxy-4-[(1S,4R,5S,5S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl) -2-cyclohexan-1amino]-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl((1→4)-D-glucopyranose. The active compound is obtained by fermentation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,769 to Rauenbusch discloses purified acarbose and a method for preparing same using column chromatography.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,850 to Lange et al. discloses the purification of acarbose by contacting an acarbose-containing solution with a polymeric cation exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,072 to Beunink et al. relates to a fermentative process for the preparation of acarbose.
Acarbose has been known for some time as an effective agent in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. It is marketed as an orally administered drug under the name Precose® and Glucobay®. Both Precose® and Glucobay® are simply coated with a delayed release coating. Precose® is available in 50 mg and 100 mg round tablets and is currently marketed in the United States by Bayer Corporation (Pharmaceutical Divisions, 400 Morgan Lane, West Haven, Conn. 06516).